USADA Files Fresh Doping Charges Against Lance Armstrong

posted by Tyler Benedict - June 13, 2012 - 7pm EST

Despite the criminal inquiry headed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office being dropped in February with no charges filed, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has filed formal doping charges against Lance Armstrong.

In a letter dated June 12 and sent to 10 individuals, the USADA made previously undisclosed doping results public, charging that samples collected in 2009 and 2010 were consistent with blood manipulation. Other recipients include Italian doctor Michele Ferrari, team director Johan Bruyneel, and several riders that now face competition bans.

The letter states that multiple riders will testify with first hand knowledge that Armstrong used, distributed and administered EPO, testosterone, masking agents and/or other performance enhancing substances.

In a statement issued by his rep, Armstrong retorted:

“I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one,” Armstrong said in a statement released by his publicist. “That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence. Any fair consideration of these allegations has and will continue to vindicate me.”

While the USADA can not bring criminal charges, it does have the power to prevent athletes from competing. As it stands, Armstrong won’t be able to compete in the Ironman triathlon in Italy later this month, which he had been planning as his qualifying effort for the Ironman World Championships in Kona this fall.

Comments

Trey R - 06/13/12 - 7:22pm

Most tested athlete in history and some still can’t be convinced to stop chasing this OLD allegation. At this point in time, it doesn’t even matter anymore and wasting so much time and money for no return is…… well, silly.

Scott - 06/13/12 - 8:13pm

I love his dig on his fatboy accusers.

LP - 06/13/12 - 8:17pm

It’s still worth it! His arrogance is just unbearable. Especially towards other cyclist who admitted doping.
I still believe he is a great cyclist but probably also the best doper ever! The guy is sooo methodic.

Don’t get me wrong, I am pretty sure that almost all professionnal cyclist are using drugs (same thing with all the other sports where money is involved). But Lance arrogance and desire to see the other loose….I can’t stand him!

Xris - 06/13/12 - 9:07pm

@LP – Pretty wide accusation about the majority of professional racers using drugs or illegal performance enhancement methods. I would certainly hope that a page has turned in the wake of the Contador fiasco and a lot of teams going strictly “green” in terms of performance.

I wouldn’t doubt that there is arrogance in his statements. I remember reading a while back that someone had pointed out “500 drug tests with no positives….yet”. Everything will come with due time whether it’s innocence or guilt.

LP - 06/13/12 - 10:05pm

Maybe not all of them, I agree! But look at the tour the France winners over the years who have been involved in drug scandals:

Jan Ulrich
Marco Pantani
Bjarne Riis
Floyd Landis
Alberto Contador

Robo - 06/13/12 - 10:25pm

This is ridiculous. At what point do they just let it go? At this point, all these accusations are doing more harm to our sport than good. No wonder everyone thinks they’re all just a buncha dopers in the peloton…

steve m - 06/14/12 - 12:10am

Noose getting tighter…….

CCC - 06/14/12 - 12:27am

steve,
what noose he still has not been found guilty by anyone….

LP,
good point, but what gets me infuriated (as u are w/his arrogance) is that no one is asking for Ullrich, Pantani or Riis to give up one single jersey regardless of color, i.e. yellow, white, poke-dot, pink etc! But when it comes to LA well the folks that hate him want him to give up everything….With that logic we need to rewrite a lot of history books pertaining to winners that have later been caught and or admitted to doping in many sports not just cycling so where and when is the USADA gonna start the re-write and charging of all athletes in all sports!?!

satisFACTORYrider - 06/14/12 - 12:32am

You don’t need a conviction to attach the asterisk. It’s just the way it is. Let’s give the support to Aaron Gwin instead.

Russ - 06/14/12 - 12:35am

Nothing new. Everyone know deep down he is a cheater. Come on the guy is a jerk, and it is pretty obvious from teammate accusations back to the late 90′s he has just been real good at doping.

mtb - 06/14/12 - 7:58am

Not a good year for Trek-Radio Shak team. Now they might not have their team director for the TdF.

Personally, (I know it will not happen) I wish all riders (past and present) all come out of the closet and admit doping, and just band together for the good of the greatest sport on earth and all race clean.

Chris - 06/14/12 - 8:54am

This is a waste of time. It’s pretty obvious from that back then, doping was rampant.

So lets just say hypothetically, they strip him of his TdF titles for doping. So lets give the jerseys to the runner up each year.

Whoops. Guess that won’t work. Do the research, you can go back through the top 5 of each of those years and nearly every one of them was associated, convicted or confessed to being associated with a doping operation of some kind.

Steve M - 06/14/12 - 10:56am

London Olympics……..Sky team…….Dauphine……..Wiggins……

satisFACTORYrider - 06/14/12 - 11:45am

let’s revisit the olsen twin connection…

Brandon - 06/14/12 - 12:58pm

I say we make doping legal and see who can be the first guy to go sub-30 in a 40k.

härbert - 06/14/12 - 9:00pm

I also agree with LP … at a certain level they have to dope!
Not neccesary to reach that level but to stay consistent!
Their body is capable of great things but media does a a greater job in suggesting us that they have to win 7times in a row to be worthy…

@Brandon
Despite the killing of all my fascination for any bike-competition with the legelization of doping…
I don´t see the problem in doping of these athletes controlled by more or less qualified doctors.
But the effect of “doping-legalization” to the amateur-level or below would be massive!
“uuuh next week is the big city race…”
“… could I stand it with one week hard training?”
“… or lets say just after-work training and 1 red and 2 green Pill”
“… no I better take 2red and 4of the green one… wednesday its raining…”
….
not to be continued!

spokejunky - 06/14/12 - 9:40pm

Honestly now, just let it die. It’s like USADA is the governor in Blazing Saddles and the U.S. cycling community are the cronies. I didn’t get a harumph outta that guy.

efukt - 06/15/12 - 5:26am

Just let it go USADA! We all know you are out to make name for yourself. We promise will not confuse you USDA grade meat again.

Echotraveler - 06/15/12 - 9:32am

Dopping is unfair to us and honest pro cyclist that give it all! We all need heroes! Down with doping on all sports! what glory is there in cheating? Its sad, if Mr Armstrong doped i hope they get him, and that gos for all that doped and the people who cooperated.

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